Shisha gains ground in Luxembourg

Luxembourg has reported a worrying growth in the number of young people smoking shisha, meanwhile the number of people smoking traditional cigarettes has fallen dramatically.

26.02.2014

Luxembourg has reported a worrying growth in the number of young people smoking shisha, meanwhile the number of people smoking traditional cigarettes has fallen dramatically.

According to a report from the “Fondation Cancer's” 2013 survey on smoking, shisha is a cause for great concern in the Grand Duchy where one out of five people aged 15 to 24 smoke it.

“It should also be noted that 43 percent of those who smoke shisha do not smoke cigarettes. As a result, the number of tobacco smokers is underestimated among young people,” the report author wrote.

The report found that out of the country's 446,000 inhabitants aged 15 and above, 94,000 were smokers (21 percent) and 70,000 smoked daily.

The number of smokers in Luxembourg has fallen significantly over the last decade, down from a third of the population to a fifth. The largest fall in smokers was noted among women in Luxembourg, of which 19 percent smoked, compared with 24 percent of men.

Of those who smoked, a whopping 60 percent said they wanted to quit smoking up from 51 percent in 2012, marking a record for Luxembourg.

The survey was conducted on behalf of "Fondation Cancer" by TNS Ilres in 2013 with 3,658 people aged 15 and above, living in the Grand Duchy.